If you’re a Corrie fan, you’ll remember Terence Maynard. He played Ryan’s on-screen father Tony Stewart, and made his exit back in November.

Ryan’s explained that it was Terence who inspired him, telling OK!: ‘One of the main reasons it came around is probably a lot to do with Tez, who plays my dad.

Ryan Thomas has been a Corrie lad since his teen years

‘I felt like I was working with a movie star and I was doing something that wasn’t Coronation Street when I was working with him. And I want a taste of something new and I want a different experience.

‘I feel like it’s a bubble, this show. It’s the best bubble in the world and I feel like now is the time. It’s just time to pop that bubble, test myself and take myself out of my comfort zone a little bit.’

Despite being so sure it’s time for his Corrie journey to come to an end, Ryan’s still found filming his final scenes pretty emotional.

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‘I looked at Sue [Cleaver, who plays his mum Eileen] and just – I’m getting a little tingle of it now – goose pimples… I grew up with these people so it’s real. I was even saying: “Have we overplayed this?”

Things got emosh in Ryan Thomas and Sue Cleaver’s final scenes together

‘I’ve learned so much from them. I’ve grabbed a little bit from all of them. I will take that with me on the next part of the journey.’